Malaria cases rise in Minbya Twsp villages

By Admin 05 Dec 2024

DMG Newsroom
5 December 2024, Minbya

Malaria cases are on the rise in Minbya Township, Arakan State, and five people have died due to lack of timely medical treatment as a result of a shortage of medicine, according to local residents.

Cases of malaria have been reported in more than 20 villages including Khway Chay Myaung, Panmyaung, Hteinpin, Ahnyintaung, Paletaung, Minphu, Wahtaung and Myin Kan Seik.

“Most people think they have a simple illness and take medicine, but they only go to the hospital when they are completely unwell. Due to the difficulty of the road, they cannot get treatment in time, which leads to deaths,” said a local man in Minbya.

Due to food shortages, locals in Minbya Township have to go into the mountains to forage for vegetables and cut down firewood, contributing to the malaria problem.

“People in the village had to sleep in the jungle when they cut down firewood. They were bitten by mosquitoes, and upon returning to the village, they developed a high fever and malaria,” said a local woman in Minbya.

Currently, the Health Department under the United League of Arakan (ULA) and its Malaria Control Team are working together to visit villages where malaria is prevalent, providing healthcare and educating the locals about malaria.

In Arakan State, where the regime has blocked off land and water routes, locals are struggling to make ends meet by working in odd jobs and are also facing health problems.